Managing your professional 
digital profile 
@lisaharris 
21st October 2014 
#LLWDE14
Building a professional digital profile 
• What are employers doing? 
• What can job seekers be doing during their 
studies? 
• Tools that I use 
• Digichamp case studies – past and present
About.me/lisa.harris 
3
Finding me online 
www.about.me/lisa.harris 
www.twitter.com/lisaharris 
www.linkedin.com/in/lisajaneharris 
http://www.slideshare.net/lisaharris 
https://www.vizify.com/lisa-harris 
http://digitaleconomy.soton.ac.uk/people/lisa-harris/
Did you know…? 
Digital marketing principles can also be applied to 
ourselves to networks and attract potential employers 
Creative videos produced by candidates now play an 
important role in the job application process 
As do blogging, tweeting and participating in relevant 
online communities such as LinkedIn 
38 million students and recent graduates are now on 
LinkedIn, its fastest-growing demographic. 
Socialnomics 2014 by Erik Qualmann
According to the British Computer 
Society… 
Employers increasingly require validation of digital literacy skills 
and employability can depend on it. 
Why is Digital Literacy important to employers and employees? 
• Digital literacy is required in 77% of all employment 
• Digital literacy is expected to be required in 90% of all 
employment by 2015 
• Employability for graduates increasingly requires a broad 
range of digital literacy skills 
• Employers expect graduates to be able to communicate using 
digital media” 
(http://www.bcs.org/category/17854)
Digital Literacy 
• “Digital literacy is the ability to locate, organise, understand, 
evaluate, and analyse information using digital technology. It 
involves a working knowledge of current tools and an 
understanding of how they can be used” 
• “The active management of online activities such as 
collaboration, networking , content creation and curation in 
order to “stand out from the crowd” in today’s job market” 
• “an ability to respond positively to change”
“Life-wide” and “life-long” learning 
Contacts 
Teachers 
Experts 
Classmates Friends 
Family 
Coworkers 
Video 
Conferencing 
Synchronous 
Communication 
Mobile 
Texting 
Microbloging 
Instant 
Messaging 
RSS 
Wikis 
Subscriptions 
readers 
Blogs 
Podcasts 
Social 
Networks 
Social 
Bookmarking 
Information 
Evaluating 
Resources 
Scholarly 
Works 
Library/ Management 
Texts 
Open 
CourseWare 
Locating 
Experts 
Wendy Drexler (2008)
So what are employers doing? 
• According to a recent study by Jobvite 
– 92% of recruiters use social media in the hiring process 
– 80% had been positively influenced by a candidate’s 
professional social network profile 
– 78% had been negatively influenced towards a candidate’s 
inappropriate use of social media 
• The best candidates might not be actively looking for 
a new job (up to 90% of the workforce) 
• Social media can identify the best talent , encourage 
conversation and build relationships with them 
• Enables recruiters to promote their company as “a 
great place to work”
Why should you care? 
A standard CV is no longer sufficient to stand out from the crowd in a 
global and rapidly evolving job market. 
“We are currently preparing students for 
jobs that don’t yet exist, using technologies 
that haven’t been invented, in order to 
solve problems we don’t even know are 
problems yet.” 
- Karl Fisch, “Did You Know” 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmwwrGV_aiE
So what should job seekers do? 
• Recognise that building an online personal brand is 
now a critical aspect of career development 
• It boosts our reputation and gives us new skills in 
communication, creativity and reflective thinking. 
• The information we display on social networks 
should actively encourage rather than discourage 
potential employers 
• Don’t “opt out” - finding NOTHING about a person 
on a Google search creates a negative impression too
The Future of You 
“Welcome to a new era of work, where your 
future depends on being a signal in the noisy 
universe of human capital. In order to achieve 
this, you will need to master three things: self-branding, 
entrepreneurship, and 
hyperconnectivity.” 
By Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, in the HBR blog
Dare you Google yourself...?
www.employadam.com 
• The original video 
• Why it works 
• The follow up video
Using social media to get a job 
• Connect (LinkedIn, FB, Twitter) 
• Collaborate (Skype, Dropbox, Google Drive) 
• Create (Wordpress, Soundcloud, Pinterest, 
YouTube/Vimeo) 
• Curate (ScoopIt, Delicious, Slideshare)
Blogs: pulling it all together 
• Use the blog framework as a central point pulling in your 
other social media content: 
– Tweets – Flickr – LinkedIn – Vimeo - Slideshare – Pinterest - 
Soundcloud - YouTube 
• You can also embed other social media within individual 
blog posts 
• Video is increasingly important, especially authentic user 
generated content 
• Provide sharing buttons 
• These activities provide a regular supply of “googlejuice” to 
the blog
Google likes blogging 
• Social media interaction with digital content is 
the *biggest influence* on its search visibility: 
1. Facebook shares 
2. Facebook comments 
3. Facebook likes 
4. Tweets 
http://www.socialmediastrategist.co.uk/blog/1- 
news/175-social-media-seo
Digital Footprints: the practicalities 
• It requires a long term strategy to develop a digital 
“footprint” which demonstrates our skills, and build 
an appropriate network of contacts. 
• The successful author and speaker Chris Brogan talks 
about “paying it forward” – meaning we should give 
before we receive. 
• For a more negative view of “digital tattoos”, see this 
TED video presented by Juan Enriquez of Harvard
Reppler 
• Go to http://reppler.com and check your own social 
media profiles. The tool highlights any inappropriate 
content, and shows you what aspects of your 
information are publically available. Then you can 
connect directly to Facebook to edit your privacy 
settings and adjust the visibility of your content as 
necessary. 
• This exercise does require you to allow Reppler access 
to your social media accounts as explained in their 
privacy policy 
• “Every potential candidate for 2040 presidental 
election is now unelectable due to Facebook” - satire
Digital Champions 
Sam Su 
Oliver Bills 
Panos Grimanellis 
Marina Sakipi 
George 
Georgi 
ev 
Hamed 
Ayhan 
Hame 
d 
Ayhan 
Farnoosh Berahman 
Manish Pathak 
Ivan Melendez 
Ahmed 
Abulaila 
Lucy Braiden 
Alessia 
Fiochi 
25
Digichamps: Ivan Melendez 
• KISM MSc @ Southampton 2012 
• Helped out with employability workshops and 
university events 
• Now working for Hootsuite in Vancouver 
• http://moocs.southampton.ac.uk/digital-marketing/ 
2014/10/10/building-professional-online- 
profile/
Digichamps: Flo Broderick 
• Took Digital Marketing and CI modules, learned 
interviewing skills and video editing 
• Helped out in a big way at Digital Media Europe 
• Masterminded student contribution to Digital 
Literacies Conference 
• Provided student perspective on our research into 
online learning MOOC filming in Portus 
• Now in Madrid working for Telefonica Digital 
27
Getting started: useful resources 
• Social media for the terrified (by Sue Beckingham, 
Sheffield Hallam) 
• http://www.southampton.ac.uk/careers/students/even 
ts/online.html - webinar on digital footprints (8 mins) 
• Time spent online to exceed time watching TV in 2014 
(eMarketer research) 
• A recruitment agency perspective 
• The digital revolution is still gearing up (Marketing 
Week) 
• A collection of relevant articles on Scoopit 
29

online employability

  • 1.
    Managing your professional digital profile @lisaharris 21st October 2014 #LLWDE14
  • 2.
    Building a professionaldigital profile • What are employers doing? • What can job seekers be doing during their studies? • Tools that I use • Digichamp case studies – past and present
  • 3.
  • 4.
    Finding me online www.about.me/lisa.harris www.twitter.com/lisaharris www.linkedin.com/in/lisajaneharris http://www.slideshare.net/lisaharris https://www.vizify.com/lisa-harris http://digitaleconomy.soton.ac.uk/people/lisa-harris/
  • 5.
    Did you know…? Digital marketing principles can also be applied to ourselves to networks and attract potential employers Creative videos produced by candidates now play an important role in the job application process As do blogging, tweeting and participating in relevant online communities such as LinkedIn 38 million students and recent graduates are now on LinkedIn, its fastest-growing demographic. Socialnomics 2014 by Erik Qualmann
  • 6.
    According to theBritish Computer Society… Employers increasingly require validation of digital literacy skills and employability can depend on it. Why is Digital Literacy important to employers and employees? • Digital literacy is required in 77% of all employment • Digital literacy is expected to be required in 90% of all employment by 2015 • Employability for graduates increasingly requires a broad range of digital literacy skills • Employers expect graduates to be able to communicate using digital media” (http://www.bcs.org/category/17854)
  • 7.
    Digital Literacy •“Digital literacy is the ability to locate, organise, understand, evaluate, and analyse information using digital technology. It involves a working knowledge of current tools and an understanding of how they can be used” • “The active management of online activities such as collaboration, networking , content creation and curation in order to “stand out from the crowd” in today’s job market” • “an ability to respond positively to change”
  • 8.
    “Life-wide” and “life-long”learning Contacts Teachers Experts Classmates Friends Family Coworkers Video Conferencing Synchronous Communication Mobile Texting Microbloging Instant Messaging RSS Wikis Subscriptions readers Blogs Podcasts Social Networks Social Bookmarking Information Evaluating Resources Scholarly Works Library/ Management Texts Open CourseWare Locating Experts Wendy Drexler (2008)
  • 10.
    So what areemployers doing? • According to a recent study by Jobvite – 92% of recruiters use social media in the hiring process – 80% had been positively influenced by a candidate’s professional social network profile – 78% had been negatively influenced towards a candidate’s inappropriate use of social media • The best candidates might not be actively looking for a new job (up to 90% of the workforce) • Social media can identify the best talent , encourage conversation and build relationships with them • Enables recruiters to promote their company as “a great place to work”
  • 11.
    Why should youcare? A standard CV is no longer sufficient to stand out from the crowd in a global and rapidly evolving job market. “We are currently preparing students for jobs that don’t yet exist, using technologies that haven’t been invented, in order to solve problems we don’t even know are problems yet.” - Karl Fisch, “Did You Know” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmwwrGV_aiE
  • 12.
    So what shouldjob seekers do? • Recognise that building an online personal brand is now a critical aspect of career development • It boosts our reputation and gives us new skills in communication, creativity and reflective thinking. • The information we display on social networks should actively encourage rather than discourage potential employers • Don’t “opt out” - finding NOTHING about a person on a Google search creates a negative impression too
  • 13.
    The Future ofYou “Welcome to a new era of work, where your future depends on being a signal in the noisy universe of human capital. In order to achieve this, you will need to master three things: self-branding, entrepreneurship, and hyperconnectivity.” By Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, in the HBR blog
  • 14.
    Dare you Googleyourself...?
  • 15.
    www.employadam.com • Theoriginal video • Why it works • The follow up video
  • 16.
    Using social mediato get a job • Connect (LinkedIn, FB, Twitter) • Collaborate (Skype, Dropbox, Google Drive) • Create (Wordpress, Soundcloud, Pinterest, YouTube/Vimeo) • Curate (ScoopIt, Delicious, Slideshare)
  • 19.
    Blogs: pulling itall together • Use the blog framework as a central point pulling in your other social media content: – Tweets – Flickr – LinkedIn – Vimeo - Slideshare – Pinterest - Soundcloud - YouTube • You can also embed other social media within individual blog posts • Video is increasingly important, especially authentic user generated content • Provide sharing buttons • These activities provide a regular supply of “googlejuice” to the blog
  • 20.
    Google likes blogging • Social media interaction with digital content is the *biggest influence* on its search visibility: 1. Facebook shares 2. Facebook comments 3. Facebook likes 4. Tweets http://www.socialmediastrategist.co.uk/blog/1- news/175-social-media-seo
  • 21.
    Digital Footprints: thepracticalities • It requires a long term strategy to develop a digital “footprint” which demonstrates our skills, and build an appropriate network of contacts. • The successful author and speaker Chris Brogan talks about “paying it forward” – meaning we should give before we receive. • For a more negative view of “digital tattoos”, see this TED video presented by Juan Enriquez of Harvard
  • 23.
    Reppler • Goto http://reppler.com and check your own social media profiles. The tool highlights any inappropriate content, and shows you what aspects of your information are publically available. Then you can connect directly to Facebook to edit your privacy settings and adjust the visibility of your content as necessary. • This exercise does require you to allow Reppler access to your social media accounts as explained in their privacy policy • “Every potential candidate for 2040 presidental election is now unelectable due to Facebook” - satire
  • 24.
    Digital Champions SamSu Oliver Bills Panos Grimanellis Marina Sakipi George Georgi ev Hamed Ayhan Hame d Ayhan Farnoosh Berahman Manish Pathak Ivan Melendez Ahmed Abulaila Lucy Braiden Alessia Fiochi 25
  • 25.
    Digichamps: Ivan Melendez • KISM MSc @ Southampton 2012 • Helped out with employability workshops and university events • Now working for Hootsuite in Vancouver • http://moocs.southampton.ac.uk/digital-marketing/ 2014/10/10/building-professional-online- profile/
  • 26.
    Digichamps: Flo Broderick • Took Digital Marketing and CI modules, learned interviewing skills and video editing • Helped out in a big way at Digital Media Europe • Masterminded student contribution to Digital Literacies Conference • Provided student perspective on our research into online learning MOOC filming in Portus • Now in Madrid working for Telefonica Digital 27
  • 27.
    Getting started: usefulresources • Social media for the terrified (by Sue Beckingham, Sheffield Hallam) • http://www.southampton.ac.uk/careers/students/even ts/online.html - webinar on digital footprints (8 mins) • Time spent online to exceed time watching TV in 2014 (eMarketer research) • A recruitment agency perspective • The digital revolution is still gearing up (Marketing Week) • A collection of relevant articles on Scoopit 29